The most beautiful of lyrics, the grace of a catchy tune, or the deep meaning of words describing our current condition. Each will wrap up this carol series. And then some. After all, who decides what’s a carol? I’ve included a few not obviously Christmas themed because they add to our spirit and understanding.

You have to surf away for the first, so y’all come back now, mmkay? Here’s Steven Colbert, Elvis Costello, Toby Keith, Willie Nelson and others, setting the mood.

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And it becomes especially important to recognize how many are left out by the festivities, possibly alienated from family and community, possibly suffering from some inner torment.

It is still up to us to reach out, because. It’s the way we continue on the path to civil…

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And how do you reach the lonely, the depressed, the hurting? Kind words rarely do enough. That tactile sense is too often lacking. Are they really untouchable? In this season?

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There’s danger when we let our hearts fall silent.

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Because Christmas, as celebrated in America, is especially about children and our joy at their joy. It’s about gifting each other, which can be both joyous and stressful, but for many, there is no one for that sharing. Perhaps there’s broken ties. Perhaps there’s the charity of strangers. And even in that case, some distance is maintained. For them the greatest gift can be the free one, touching hands, patting backs, giving hugs.

Reminding them that they are a part of us, of the community, of humankind.

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Even the first Christmas reached to the poorest and most distant according to the legends. (In the next video, slide the bar to 1:40, to skip the blather and go to the beauty of that.)

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Trace Bundy carries the beauty forward with his intricate finger works. Touching the strings like we touch each others’ hearts.

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Love, Actually treated us to Olivia Olsen’s version of this song for the romantics. Here, an 8 year old named Syd rivals that stellar performance.

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And how can we escape the spiritual message inherent in the season? Some ignore this, using the holiday itself as a barrier to bludgeon others with, claiming you can’t enjoy the holidays without Christ (and to do so condemns you… how pleasant is that? Is that what your Christ stood for… punishment?)

Dar Williams doesn’t think so and says so in song.

And John Gorka reminds us of the biggest thing we all missed this Christmas.
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And there it is. What kind of Christmas are Iraqis having? You know, those 26 million folks who never attacked us? Or Afghanistanis? Or Pakistanis? Or Yemenis? Places and people we are officially and unofficially at war with. Because a band of a few thousand violent malcontents exist in the world, we fight hundreds of millions who bore us no harm at all.

Because of this, tens of thousands of American troops are also permanently damaged, wounded forever, since we have government leaders who’ve decided this is the best and only way to go.

They have no idea what Christmas is about. Here’s a clue from Brett Dennen.
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And Rustic Overtones asks this President the same Questions they asked the previous one last year.

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Stevie Wonder looks forward to what Christmas should be.

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He first sang that 42 years ago. How sad that makes that beautiful carol today.

So yeah, between the violence, the loneliness and the materialism, it’s understandable why the only carol for some is this Eric Idle ditty. (NOT work-safe)

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It’s also understandable why others turn their thoughts to the heavenly. Eric Idle again, and his compadres provide a version of it that’s just as plausible as any we’ve imagined.

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For me, I try to remember the forgotten, which was part of the initial message.

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And Christmas is about creating and delighting and uniting.

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It’s especially about granting consideration for all others and taking time to demonstrate your concern.

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And indeed, if we are to reach the pinnacles of caroling and celebrating Christmas or Hannukkah or Festivus or Kwanzaa, these are all the things we must remember: reaching and reconciling, touching and loving, creating and considering, forgetting none and celebrating the joys of everyone.

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And I hope your holidays involve all of that including, ultimately, your smile.

Peace, sister & brother.

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